Power unit



Jam" 24', 1928.

RC. DAY

rowan UNIT Filed Oct. '31. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

PERCY C DHY- ATTORNEY. I

P. C. DAY

POWER UNIT Jan. 24,1928. Y 1,657,245

Filed Oct. 51, 1921 s Sheets-Sh et 2 'INVENTOR.

l pls/acY C. DRY

A TTORNEY.

' P. c. DAY

POWER UNI'I" Filed. Oct. 51. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

PERCY G, Dav.

4. 11TTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAY, OF MILWAUKEE, .WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE FALK CORPORATION, l OF. MILWAUKEE, .WISOONSIN, A CORI OBATION OF WISCONSIN.

POWER UNIT;

Application fled October 81, 1921. Serial 110. 511,889.

Thisinvention relates to power units for driving the pumps of multiple oil wells and similar apparatus.

Central power stations are sometimes em I ployed in the oil fields for driving the pumps of a number of wells in an immediate vicinity. This is, quite frequently the case, particularly when the individual yield of the several wells is insufficient to warrant 1 the installation or maintenance of a separate driving mechanism for each. Such stations ordinarily include one or more large horizontally disposed eccentrics fixed to and driven by a vertical shaft and mechanically 1. connected through links or chains with the pumping apparatus of the several wells. In this way, the desired reciprocating motion is transmitted directly to each of the several pumps from a common source.

lo Inthese central stations, the vertical shaft has heretofore been retained in upright po sition by a series of guys, thus necessitating a belt drive therefor. A pulley, sometimes aslarge as fifteen feet in diameter, is ordinarily required for driving the shaft. This pulley is keyed. to the shaft'and is driven by a large belt of considerable length connected withan intermediate mechanism necessarily situated at quite a distance from the vertical 80 shaft, and in turn driven from a prime mover through another length of belting. Such a layout is obviously not only unwieldy but expensive as regards initial as well as maintenance costs.

=88 The general aim of the present invention is the provision of a compact, self-contained, geared unit particularly adapted for use as a unitary drive mechanism for multiple oil well apparatus. Other more specific objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which: v

Figure 1 is a plan view of a power unit constructed in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, on. a somewhat larger scale, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

'vide a balanced unit.

ranged concentrically of the bearing 11 and Figure 3 is a plan view of the unit with the eccentrics and motor removed.

The geared power unit selected for illustra-tion includes a heavy power shaft 10, journaled in spaced bearings 11 and 12, and rigidly maintained in fixed vertical position thereby. This shaft is driven by a large gear 13, fixed thereto at a point preferably adjacent the lower bearing 12, and carries a pairof large eccentrics 14 keyed to the upper end thereof at points preferably immediately above andadjacent the upper bearing 11. Each eccentric-14 is provided with an eccentric strap 15 of any standard or approved construction adapted to be connected in the usual manner through suitable links 16 with the several pump mechanisms (not shown) of a group of wells. These eccentrics are preferably oppositely disposed so as to pro- The shaft 10 and the driving mechanism therefor are mounted in a unitary frame of rigid construction preferably in the form of a casing 17, horizontally divided into separable sections a and b. The lower section 6 contains the lower bearing 12, preferably formed as an integral part thereof, and is alsopreferably fashioned, as at 18, to receive a suitable thrust bearing 19 adapted to sustain the weight of the main shaft 10 and parts contained thereby. The thrust hearing shown is a self-aligning ball bearing of a well known type.

The upper section a contains the upper bearing 11, preferably formed as an integral part thereof. This portion of the casing is preferably arched upwardly so that the bearing 11 is well spaced from the gear 13, and is preferably reinforced by a spider 20 arunited with the bearing and casing through the radially disposed vertical. webs 20. By this construction, the gear 13 is not materially affected by the lateral strains imposed. upon the shaft 10 through the eccentrics 1,4. The large gear 13 is driven through a train of gearing, preferably such as will now he described. This gearing includes a countershaft 21 journaled in vertical position within the casing 17 and provided with a small pinion 22 meshing With the large gear 13, and a gear 23 meshing with a drive pinion 24. The countershaft 21 is journaled at its upper end in a bearing 25 preferably'removably secured within the Wall of the the countershaft, particularly when: lierringa bone gears are employed, so that the pinion 22 may readily adjust itself to the large gear 13 meshing therewith. In this instance, a heavy coil spring 29 is provided tor'this purpose. This spring rests upon a removable plate 30 secured to the wall o-f the lower section b and bears against a dish 31 interposed beneath the thrust bearing 28.

The drive pinion 24 is carried by a vertical shaft 32 supported and journaled at its lower end in a manner similar to the countershaft 21. The upper end of the shaft 32 is hollowed out to" j ournally receive the lower end of the drive shaft 33. The drive shaft 33, in this instance, constitutes the armature shaft of a vertically disposed electric motor 34 of any standard or appropriate construction. This motor is shown mounted upon the wall oithe upper section a of the casing so that the shaft projects through an opening 35 formed therethrough. Rotation is imparted to the shaft 32'- and pinion 24, preferably through an axially yieldable clutch, so that the pinion 24- may adjust itself to the gear 23. The clutch shown includes a disk 36 keyed to the drive shaft 33 and provided with a series of pins 37, projecting through suitable perforations in a cooperating flange 38' formed upon the adjacent end of the shaft-'32.

Thus it will be seen that an assembly of such rigidity has been provided that a gear drive for the main power-shaft maybe advantageously employed. In use, the lower section b of the casing is ordinarily countersunk in a. shallow pit and is securely anchored in place by any a propriate means, such. as bolts 39" embed ed in the cement foundation and extending through a flange 39 of the lower section 6. v

It will be further noted that the gearing shown provides a double reductionin speed between'the motor and power shaft so that each may operate at their most efficient These gears are preferably of the other'types may be satisfactorily employed. By arranging all the gears within the lower section bof'the casing, they we be maintained in a bath of oil. A combined oil intake and gauge through which the oil may unit tor multiple oil wells and the be introduced into the casing is shown at .40.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described, Without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a self contained heavy dut povzfir e combination of alhoriiontalf casing constituting a lubricant retainer,bearin in the bottom of said casing flooded by t e lubricant therein, a plurality of vertical shafts journa'led in said bearings, a detachable rigid bearing for one of said shafts disposed above said casing, powertransmittingmesns carried by said last mentioned shaft above said last named bearin and aisetofspeed reductiongears" on sadshafts' within said casing for driving said last menti'omd shah 2. In a self contained heav du power unit for multipleoil wells am the ike, the combination of a horizontal casing constituting a lubricant retainer, bearin -'m the bottom of said casing flooded by t e: lubricanttherein, a plurality of shafts journaled in said bearings, a. rigid brace for one of said shafts projecting upwardly from sold casin a bearing in said brace for said last mentioned shaft, power transmitt' means carried by said last mentioned sh 5 above said brace and operating in. a substmtiiilly horizontal plane, speed reduction "gears on said shafts for driving said last; mentioned shaft, and a motor on said casing for driving power transmitting means on said sh ros above said means, a gear on said shaft within I said casing, a second verticalshaft journilled in another of said. bearings, a motor on said casing for driving said second shaft, :1 pmion on said second shaft, a; third vertical shaft journaled in another of said a gear on said third shaft meshimg with said pinion, and a pinion on said third shaft meshing With shaft, 7 i 4. In a self contained heavy duty power unit for multiple oil Wells, the combination of a horizontal casing, hearings in' the bottom thereof, rigid means extending Wardly from said casin above ondofsud bearings, a vertical slm tjournaled in said means and said last mentioned bearing,

said gear on said firstnamed power transmission means carried by and 5 said second shaft, a third vertical Leo-7,945 B shaft above said means, a herring-bone gear said pinion, a herring-bone inion on said on said shaft in said casing, a second vertithird shaft meshing with sald first named cal shaft in said casing journaled in another gear, and yieldable means for supporting 10 of said bearings, a herring-bone inion on said second and third shafts.

shaft jour- In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe naled in another of said bearings, a herrin my name this 28th day of October, 1921. bone gear on said third shaft meshing wit PERCY C. DAY. 

